The invention relates to a steering wheel with steering wheel member and a container connected thereto for receiving a gas generator as well as a gas bag folded into the container. A cover for covering the outlet opening for the gas bag and designed to open is provided, whereby the steering wheel is to be connected to a steering column of a motor vehicle.
A steering wheel with the aforementioned features is known from British Patent Application 2 287 305 in which the steering wheel is provided with a recess placed onto the cup-shaped container that contains the folded gas bag and the gas generator. The container and steering wheel member of the steering wheel are fastened together by respectively arranged flanges to a support part which, in turn, is connected to or connectable to the steering column of a motor vehicle. The gas bag is connected with an edge portion surrounding the gas bag mouth by separate fastening means, respectively, according to one embodiment of the known steering wheel, is clamped between parts placed on top of one another, i.e., the container bottom and the gas generator such that the gas bag with its gas bag mouth is positioned at the gas generator and extends in the direction of unfolding above the gas generator and above its clamping plane.
The known steering wheel has the disadvantage that the recess in the steering wheel for receiving the container and the container itself are embodied with relatively large surface areas so that such an arrangement can not be used especially for steering wheels of sports vehicles in which a very open spoke arrangement at the steering wheel member is preferred. Also, the steering wheel with the integrated cover and steering wheel member and must be adapted in its shape to the container so that the components of the steering wheel with integrated airbag unit can not be varied. Furthermore, the known steering wheel is comprised of a plurality of individual parts which can not be preassembled in a sensible manner so that mounting of the known steering wheel assembly itself as well as mounting on the vehicle is complicated.
It is an object of the invention to eliminate for a steering wheel with the aforementioned features the aforementioned disadvantages.